Machine for crushing flax-bolls



than the rollers B and B'.

4 while its lower edge is above the lower ro1le`r,\.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SETH BROWN, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR CARUSHlNG VFLAX-BOLLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,691, dated January 3, 1882. i Application filed Octobtrll, 1881-. (Model.)

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, SETE BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana,

have invented certain new and usefull m provements in Machines for Crushing FlaX-Bolls; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or gures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to amachine for crushing the bolls or seed-pods of' flax, so that the seed may thereafter be completely separated from the straw and from any of the broken pieces of the bolls that may result from the operation of crushing; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the machine, as will be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a top or plan view of the device with portions of the frame and cover removed. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 3 represents details of construction of parts.

A represents the frame of the machine, within which the operating parts are contained.

B and B' are apair ot' crushing-rollers placed transversely across t-he frame A, and B" and B' are a second pair of crushin g-rollers, placed alittle distance in thc rear of and lower down All these` rollers are constructed to have flexible or yielding surfaces b, such as india-rubber, or any other substance of' such texture as will crush the seedbolls without crushing the seed itself'. rlhe rollers are built upon shafts b', that revolve in proper bearings in or attached to frame A.

Motion is imparted to roller B" from any prime mover through a belt passing over pulley b", and thence to rollerB by a belt passing over pulleys b' and b4, the passing of the dax imparting .motion to the rollers B' andB', which revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. n

C is an inclined chute or door underneath the two pairs of rollers. c is a yielding apron above chute O,at the upper end, and under rollerB,

' B", and will direct everything that passes the first rollers, Band B', between the lower rollers, B and B'. y

`D is a curved cover'over the two` pairs of rollers, and d is a curved detiector-plate over the first pair of' rollers, curved to come back of and near to the upper roller, B', of the lower pair, thus preventing any of the seed escaping over the top ofrollcr B', whilegit andthe apron c will direct and insure the passage between rollers B" and B' of all that passes through between the rst rollers, B and B', so that if any of' the bolls or seed-cells happen to pass between the first rollers without being crushed the last pair will surely effect that result.

E E are yokes, made ot' metal, with slots e e in their lower edges, to fit upon and over the outerends of each of the shafts b' of the free or yielding rollers B' and B, as seen in Fig. 3. In or near the center of each of these yokes E E is a hole, c', into which is hooked a connecting link or rod,f, Athat then goes at or nearly at right angles with the inclined yokes and downward to and through a spring-lever, F, which is pivoted to frame A atj", andthe upper side of which bears against a fulcrum-pin, f. Each side ofthe machine has these yokes and spring-lever, so that when there is an inequality of feed the upper rollers, B' and B', will yield or give way through the spring ot' levers F and let the bunch or mass. of' flaxstraw through without clogging.

G is a swinging frame, hung or suspended near its four corners upon pivoted bars g, with its forward end lower than its rear end, andis covered on its top side with a screen, G', while the lower or bottom edge, g', is floured over, so that it forms a chute to throw the separated and clean iiaxseed forward and down into chute H, and thence out of the machine.

I is afan-blower on transverse shaft i, which revolves in suitable bearings in frame A, and gets its motion from pulley i' on shaft b' of roller B through a belt over pulley v1" on shaft t'. The fan I revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow, and causes an air-current to iiow through and over the swinging or vibrating frame G, carrying all light;v chatl` or straw that may have f'allen through the screen out of the machine through the rear and open end, G". The flax-straw, after passingI through the crushing-rollers, is carried rearward and out ofthe machine by the ordinary device used in thrashing-machines, and is not shown here. The screen-frame G is vibratcd longitudinally or transversely by any known mechanical device.

J is a table, over which the flax-straw is fed to and between the tirstpair'of rollers, B and B.

By this oonstiuction of yielding and flexible rollers in pairs, so arranged that the llaxbolls will pass between the two pairs of rollers, a complete crushing of the seed-pods takes place, and all the seed in the bolls is free to leave and be separated, after being crushed, from all the other portions of the ax-plant.

I am aware of Patent No. 153,259, in which two pairs of rollers are used, the tirst pairless in diameter than the second pair and revolving at greater speed. The rollers in this patent are plain and smooth, and the surfaces do not yield, as such surfaces rub as wellas crush.

I do not claim, broadly, two pairs ot' rollers, as they are in use; but,

Having fully described my invention, what B and B, substantially as and for the pur-v pose set forth.

2. In a machine for shelling or thrashing axse'ed, the combination of two pairs of rollers arranged in different planes, the yokes E, connecting the upper roller` of each pair, the spring F, and the connecting-rod f, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

SETH BROWN.

Witnesses WILLIAM H. PLGKETT, EVETCL PICKE'r'r. 

